Goodbye, Vale, L'Hitraot
by Rose DiVerona
Summary: Post-"Hiatus." Gibbs is gone, and Tony, Abby, McGee, and Ziva are left behind to collect their thoughts.


A/N: I recently saw both parts of "Hiatus" on USA, and was inspired to write this one-shot showing how Tony, Abby, McGee, and Ziva each might have felt about their leader leaving NCIS.

The title of the fic is goodbye in three languages: English, Latin, and Hebrew ('L'Hitraot' specifically means 'until we meet again').

Disclaimer: Don't own.

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******Goodbye, Vale, L'Hitraot**

Tony slumped on his couch. Gibbs' badge sat face-up on the coffee table in front of him.

He could hardly believe his boss had left. Of all the scenarios Tony had envisioned upon Gibbs regaining his memory, this was the last thing he had expected. He'd thought there might be one genuine smile, a couple affectionate head-slaps, an ecstatic Abby practically strangling them all in her excitement…

But not _retirement_. Never retirement. Gibbs was indestructible. How could he possibly think leaving NCIS was the right decision, when they were all counting on him to tell them what to do?

Being team leader was certainly something Tony had fantasized about. As senior field agent, he'd had some experience assuming command while Gibbs was away. But these were only temporary situations—Gibbs always came back, and Tony willingly handed the reigns back over to his boss. Sure, the power was a little exhilarating, but Tony DiNozzo was an excellent agent under his smart-ass attitude, and he knew that being in a position of power meant you were held accountable for every member of your team. Tony would do anything to protect McGee, Ziva, Abby, Ducky, and even Palmer. But it was a huge responsibility to look after all of them, one not to be taken lightly.

Tony sighed and fingered Gibbs' badge.

It was not a job he'd accepted, but it was one Gibbs entrusted him with, and for that, at least, Tony was proud. He'd always worked hard to gain the older man's approval, and now he knew these efforts had not gone unappreciated.

Tony was not Leroy Jethro Gibbs, and he would not try to be. But he would lead the team using everything he'd been taught. They needed him. More importantly…he needed them.

--

Abby say quietly in her dark lab, Bert cuddled against her chest.

She was shell-shocked. Gibbs was _gone_? For real? NCIS without her silver-haired fox was like…like Ducky without a cadaver. Ew. Bad example, but the point was, it just couldn't be. It wasn't natural.

Abby could not remember a time when Gibbs hadn't been there. He always knew exactly what to say and do to comfort the Goth and everyone else; even if his advice didn't seem helpful at the time, it was usually right in the end. Gibbs was the glue that held the team together.

Despite the fact that Abby knew it wasn't her fault, she couldn't help but wonder if she had done something wrong. Hugged him one too many times. Played her music just a bit too loudly. Rambled on a few seconds too long.

No. That was stupid. She might never know why her boss decided to leave the agency, but she _did _know she had nothing to do with it. Gibbs never did things because of anyone else. He made up his own mind.

NCIS would never be the same, but Abby would just make the best of it and keep doing what she did best. She still had the rest of her "family," after all. Tony, McGee, Ducky…Ziva.

Abby winced as she remembered the way she'd acted toward the liaison officer, practically accusing the woman of indifference toward Gibbs' condition. She'd deserved Ziva's slap, but she had been too angry and worried at the time to realize it. And then it had been Ziva who brought Gibbs back to them. Mentally, Abby reminded herself to make amends soon. The Israeli officer had a real apology coming her way.

--

McGee drove his car aimlessly through the streets of Washington, D.C. He had no destination, no quarry, and no pursuer. His only goal was to keep moving.

He was conflicted; upset Gibbs had decided to leave NCIS so suddenly, without any warning whatsoever. Tim thought he could have handled the idea of his boss retiring, if only he'd had a little warning. But it seemed as though Gibbs' decision was just as sudden to the older man himself as it had been to the people it affected. This had not been something planned.

Gibbs had always been good to McGee. He cared about his agents, but he never overprotected them; he let them figure things out for themselves. Tim knew Gibbs had never stopped Tony's relentless teasing because he knew his younger agent could handle it. He'd said so, after all—McGee had heard the compliment, straight from the man whose praise was rare. And even though Tim was notorious for being hard on himself, he was glad to recognize what Gibbs had said. He was a good agent.

It was the encouragement he needed. After all, with Gibbs gone and Tony appointed team leader, McGee had been automatically promoted to senior field agent.

Tim smiled slightly as he turned the car toward home. He couldn't help but think, rather guiltily, that at least one good thing had come out of this: he could hardly be considered the Probie anymore. Not that anything would stop Tony...

--

Ziva paced in the bullpen. The others had cleared out long ago, leaving her alone in the darkness to collect her thoughts.

Officer David was probably the least surprised at Gibbs' decision to leave the team. It was not that she had been expecting it—it was simply that she had not known Gibbs as long as the others, and did not find his departure quite as inconceivable as they did. Somehow, she held a deeper understanding of their former leader's line of thinking, if only for that one evening.

Ziva had grown fond of the man over the past year. She trusted him more than she trusted anyone else in the agency, and she rarely second-guessed his actions. The urge to prove her loyalty to him was overwhelming, and she was glad she had been able to do just that. Even when it had meant killing Ari, one of the most painful things she had ever done.

And she was especially grateful she had been able to cure him of his amnesia; perhaps now the others would see her devotion as well.

Ziva knew the team meant well. They did not aim to hurt her, to question her intentions. And sometimes she truly felt that she belonged with them—they had become more than only her colleagues. They were her friends. There were other times, however, when it was difficult for her to fit in. She was the "newbie," after all, even though she wasn't really new anymore. And there were times, very rare times, she believed she saw a glimmer of doubt in the others' eyes. As if among the bonds of trust that had formed around her, there were strands of mistrust—weak, but very real.

Whether it was her imagination or not, Ziva planned to erase those second thoughts and show her worth to the agency. She liked her teammates and NCIS overall. She had sworn loyalty to them. And she never went back on her word.

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A/N: Kinda depressing altogether. But, hey--we know Gibbs comes back! :) Review!


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